Focus on Revealing
The Bible’s Gospel of John 1:9-13 and the “Parable of the Sower” in Matthew 13:1-9 shows the way redemption generally happens, or regretfully fails to happen. The parable shows how people come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, or chose another course both for their life on earth and more importantly for eternity. God prefers that all will come to know him and offers the adoption right to become children of God to all who come to believe in him (John 1:9-13 (NIV): 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.)
Revealing Review
God reveals his word and ways so people have the chance to learn more and get to know God better by applying their reason and strength. God presents his message both to Jews and Gentiles. Today, God through his word and the Holy Spirit call to those who attend Christian Services and who hear God’s word elsewhere along life’s paths. In the “Parable of the Sower” this is like dropping seeds of God’s word along the path, as illustrated in the Bible in Matthew 13:1-9.
Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13: 1-9 (NIV): 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.“
God Revealing Word Like Farmer Sowing Seed
Jesus revealed in the related Parable of the Weeds, that the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, who is Jesus, also known as the Son of God. Like the Parable of the Sower, the Parable of the Weeds instructs us that God Revealing his Word is like a Farmer Sowing Seeds.
Matthew 13:36-37: 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Look and Be Healed
God revealed his word many times to the Israelites through messengers granted grace from God to instruct his people. As the prophets predicted, God sent his Son Jesus Christ to be our savior and an example to us by his life and words, clarifying the way to God the Father.
John 3:14-18 (NIV): 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Revealing Faith: Abraham & Sarah’s Son by Faith
God reveals those trusting in his resurrected Son Jesus Christ have his promises, the right to be children of God, their sins forgiven, and righteousness credited to their account.
Romans 4:18-25 (NIV): 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Revealing Promises by Faith
God calls us to believe, so God’s promises and guarantees can be ours. To illustrate this key point, let’s say people committed evil atrocities, yet God grants them another chance to find him. Even though they deserve death and punishment, God will grant forgiveness, if they repent from your past ways and sincerely believe. Claim your right to become a child of God, through your faith, without turning back.
Romans 4:16-17 (NIV): 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
Revealing Righteousness by Faith
King David of Israel elaborated upon the blessings of righteousness available through faith. Without God, works are futile. With faith in God works performed are evidence of your faith, and flow from your faith. Faith in God leads to forgiveness of believers sins. This is a blessing from God.
Romans 4:4-8 (NIV): 4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
Kiss the Son
King David in Psalms 2:10-12 reveals that people believed in the Son and knew his power prior to the Son of God’s coming. We are advantaged to believe in the Son after he authoritatively brought God’s cleansing word, endorsed by powerful merciful miracles.
Psalms 2: 10-12 (NIV): 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Revealing Jesus the Way: Jesus & Cross, Faith & Forgiven
The Holy Scripture clearly reveals the only true way to God the Father is through God the Son, as the Bible witnesses several times. To reject the Son of God is to reject God the Father and to fall outside God’s eternal life promises. By presenting this challenging truth, God reveals our choice and its’ consequences. Use your reason to consider and choose carefully where you’ll place your belief.
John 3:31-36 (NIV): 31 “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
Revealing Jesus’ Burial Preparations
Jesus Christ the Son of God entered our world to live a sinless life and die unjustly. Since he did not deserve to die, that death penalty payment Jesus is free to apply to forgive sins of believers, who are instructed to live righteous lives. Shortly prior to Jesus’ death, a woman prepared his live body for burial with expensive perform, as recounted in the Bible’s Gospel of Mark 14:3-9, emphasizing the centrality of Jesus’ death.
Mark 14: 3-9 (NIV): 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.“
Revealing: Further Study
The Bible reveals much more about God and about his Son Jesus Christ. To learn more, read the bible at the Bible Gateway http://www.biblegateway.com or use the Net Bible Translation at http://www.netbible.org . Learn more listening to audio sermons and reviewing instructional materials, courtesy of preachers like David Legge at http://www.preachtheword.com .
Key Points: Revealing
- God sent his Son Jesus Christ to be our ________.
- Like a farmer ______ seeds, Jesus Christ has been ________ God’s Words.
- As the Lord instructed Moses to put a bronze ______ on a pole for all to look to _____, similarly the Lord Jesus Christ was placed on the cross for all ________ to have eternal ______.
- Abraham’s ______ in God was credited to him as righteousness, like God will credit righteousness to _________ in Jesus Christ.
- Righteousness is by a sincere ______, from which flows external _______ as evidence to one’s internal faith.
- The only true way to God the Father is through God the _____, who is Jesus Christ.
- All kings and rulers in authority are wisely advised to _______ the Son.
- The woman poured very expensive ________ on Jesus’ head to prepare his body beforehand for _________.
Discussion Questions
(1) Who is Jesus? What do you think? What does the Bible say about Jesus?
(2) Why did God the Father send his Son Jesus on a mission that included his Son being killed via crucifixion?
(3) How is Jesus as Savior like Moses’ Snake on the Pole?
(4) What role does faith and belief have in being saved for eternal life?
(5) Why is it best for even kings and rulers in authority to “kiss the Son”?
(6) If God made a promise to you that defied your understanding of nature would you believe like Abraham did?
(7) Who else in scriptures exhibited faith against the odds and how did it turn out?
(8) Who is ultimately responsible behind the scenes for you hearing God’s word? Who is ultimately responsible for your accepting & following God’s word?
Next Steps:
View the Parable of the Sower Slideshare Presentation.
You can also directly view the Parable of the Sower presentation at the Slideshare link http://www.slideshare.net/creationary/parable-of-the-sower-and-reapers-roadmap-slide-share
Continue your studies on the Parable of the Sower:
Invitation to Delve Deeply into the Parable of the Sower
https://bibleopia.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/invitation-to-delve-deeply-into-the-parable-of-the-sower
Hand Drawn Revealing Roadmap
Key Points: Revealing: Answers
- God sent his Son Jesus Christ to be our Savior .
- Like a farmer sowing seeds, Jesus Christ has been revealing God’s Words.
- As the Lord instructed Moses to put a bronze snake on a pole for all to look to live , similarly the Lord Jesus Christ was placed on the cross for all believers / followers to have eternal life .
- Abraham’s faith in God was credited to him as righteousness, like God will credit righteousness to believers / followers in Jesus Christ.
- Righteousness is by a sincere faith , from which flows external works as evidence to one’s internal faith.
- The only true way to God the Father is through God the Son , who is Jesus Christ.
- All kings and rulers in authority are wisely advised to Kiss the Son.
- The woman poured very expensive perfume / cologne / fragrance on Jesus’ head to prepare his body beforehand for burial .
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